Frederick Arnold Griffiths

Frederick Arnold Griffiths

Personal Information
Date of Birth	7 Jan 1917
Place of Birth	Armadale, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	24 years, 3 months
Occupation	Gas engine driver
Religion	Church of England
Address	Ora Banda, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr James Kenneally Griffiths
Military Information
Reg Number	WX13310
Date of Enlistment	21 May 1941
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	2nd/2nd Independent Company
Date of Embarkation	8 Dec 41 ‒ 12 Dec 41
Ship Embarked On	SS Zealandia Darwin to Koepang
Date of Return	15 Jan 1943 ‒ 18 Jan 1943
Ship Returned On	HNLMS Tjerk Hides East Timor to Darwin
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star

War Service

Enlisted at Claremont and was two days later sent tot eh 3rd Training Battalion at Northam camp. There, on 6 Jun 1941 he was allocated to the reinforcements for the 2/28th Battalion. On 29 Jun 1941 this changed when he was transferred to the 7th Infantry Training Centre and sent to 3rd Military District (Victoria). On arrival he was allocated to the 2/2nd Independent Company and on 16 Sep 1941 they moved to South Australia and entrained for Darwin where they arrived on 26 Oct 1941.

On 8 Dec 1941 the unit embarked for Timor aboard the SS Zealandia in company with the SS Westralia, arriving there on 12 Dec 1941, disembarking at Koepang. Following the Japanese invasion of Timor the unit was cut off, and trapped on the island, and thus on 22 Feb 1942 Fred was listed as "Missing". On 12 Jun 1942 this was changed to "With unit & well". Eventually, after months of guerilla fighting aided by the local Timorese, the unit was evacuated on 15 Jan 1943 aboard the Dutch destroyer [HNLMS Tjerk Hides]] arriving in Darwin on 18 Jan 1943.

NG 16 Jun 43 - 3 Sep 44 & 9 Apr 45 - 16 Jan 46 NT 26 Oct 41 - 7 Dec 41

Discharged 5 Mar 1946

Post War

Notes

For a more complete story see "A History of the 2nd Independent Company and 2/2 Commando Squadron" compiled by C.D. Doig, 2nd Edition Hesperian Press 2009.

External Links

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